MEXICO — “They enjoy fire and when things are blown up the most,” Bitsy Ionta said Tuesday of his Gizmos and Gadgets audience.
The event was part of the Mexico Public Library’s Terrific Tuesdays summer children’s program, which is presented at 10 a.m. every Tuesday, free of charge, at the Calvin Lyons Hall on the ground floor of the Mexico Town Office Building.
Ionta, a scientist and 28-year veteran of teaching in public schools, entertained a rapt audience of 56, composed mostly of children ages 2 to 14, with a bevy of scientific displays.
There was no shortage of scientific wizardry at Tuesday’s event as Ionta brought scores of science props for his demonstration. One of the most marvelous aspects of the show was that virtually all of Ionta’s props were simple to build and made of inexpensive materials found in most homes.
Examples of Ionta’s simple, homemade, inventive genius included a hovercraft made with a DVD disc, thread spool and a balloon, and a cardboard car powered by a rubber band.
Hands-on demonstrations that captivated many included a bright-red liquid that boils when handled, and the crowd favorite: ghost spheres — nearly invisible spheres that float undetected until one reaches into their watery medium.
“They’re my favorite,” River Edmunds of Byron said.
Edmunds couldn’t get enough of Ionta’s presentation and lingered long after the hour-long show finished. “I’d like to be a scientist one day,” Edmunds said.
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